SPECIFIC FUSION NUCLEIC ACIDS AND PROTEINS PRESENT IN HUMAN t(2;5) LYMPHOMA, METHODS OF DETECTION AND USES THEREOF

Abstract: The present invention is based on the identification and sequence determination of fusion proteins generated by translocation which is present in t(2;5) lymphoma cells. Using either the amino acid or nucleic acid sequences of the fusion proteins disclosed herein, the present invention provides methods of detecting and treating t(2;5) lymphoma.

Description: SPECIFIC FUSION NUCLEIC ACIDS AND PROTEINS PRESENT IN HUMAN T(2;5) LYMPHOMA, METHODS OF DETECTION AND USES THEREOF Part of the work performed in this invention was made with the use of government funding by way of a grant from the National Institute of Health and National Cancer Institute, Grant Nos. K08CA01702, P01CA20180, P30 CA21765. Therefore, the government has certain rights in this invention. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to the field of cancer diagnosis and therapy. Specifically, the present invention relates to methods of detecting and treating human t(2;5) positive lymphoma. Background of the Invention Large cell lymphomas comprise approximately one fourth of all non- Hodgkin's lymphomas in children and young adults. Approximately one third of these tumors have a t(2;5)(p23;q35) chromosomal translocation (H. Stein and F. Dallenbach, in Neoplastic Hematopathology. D.M. Knowles, Ed. (Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore pp. 675-714 (1992)), suggesting that rearrangement of cellular proto-oncogenes on these chromosomes contributes to lymphomagenesis. Lymphomas with the t(2;5) typically involve lymph nodes, skin, lung, soft tissue, bone and the gastrointestinal tract, and arise predominantly from activated T lymphocytes (Y. Kaneko etal. , Blood. 75:806 (1989); M.M. Le Beau et al. , Leukemia 3:866 (1989); R. Rimokh et al , Br. J. Haematol. 77:31 (1989); D.Y. Mason et al, Br. J. Haematol. 74:161 (1990); M.A. Bitter Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 14:305 (1990); M.E. Kadin, J. Clin. Oncol. 9:533 (1991); J.P. Greer et al, J. Clin. Oncol. 9:539 (1991); V. Vecchi et al, Med. Pediatr. Oncol. 21:402 (1993)). The malignant cells express IL-2 receptors and CD30 (Ki-1) antigen, a receptor for a newly described member of the tumor necrosis factor ligand family (H. Durkop et al, Cell 68:421 (1992); C.A. Smith et al, Cell 73:1349 (1993)). By the updated Kiel lymphoma classification, most tumors with the t(2;5) are classified as anaplastic large cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (A.G. Stansfeld et al, Lancet 1:292 (1988)). Chromosomal abnormalities are frequently associated with malignant diseases. In a number of instances, specific chromosomal translocations have been characterized, which generate fusion genes encoding proteins with oncogenic properties (Sawyers et al, Cell 64:337-350 (1991)). A specific t(2;5) translocation is the hallmark of human anaplastic large cell non- Hodgkin's lymphoma. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Disclosed herein is the cloning and sequencing of the human nucleic acid sequences which are rearranged in the t(2;5)(p23;q35) chromosomal translocation event which occurs in human t(2;5) lymphoma. The rearrangement was found to bring sequences from the nucleolar phosphoprotein gene (the NPM gene) on chromosome 5q35 to those from a previously unidentified protein tyrosine kinase gene (hereinafter the ALK gene) on chromosome 2q23. The sequence of the fusion gene and fusion protein are also disclosed (hereinafter the NPM/ALK fusion gene or protein, respectively). Utilizing the sequences of the identified NPM/ALK fusion gene, the present invention provides methods of identifying the presence of nucleic acid sequence in a sample which contain the NPM/ALK fusion sequence which comprises the steps of: contacting a sample with two nucleic acid amplification primers, wherein a first nucleic acid amplification primer is capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid sequence encoding NPM or a complementary sequence thereof, and a second nucleic acid primer which is capable of hybridizing to a nucleic acid sequence encoding ALK or a complementary sequence thereof; amplifying the primed sequences in the sample which hybridizes to the two primers; and detecting the presence of amplified nucleic acid sequence in the sample which contain the NPM/ALK fusion. The present invention provides alternative methods for identifying the presence of a nucleic acid sequence in a sample which contains the NPM/ALK fusion which comprises the steps of: contacting a sample with two nucleic acid probes, wherein the first nucleic acid probe is capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid sequence encoding NPM, and a second nucleic acid probe is capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid sequence encoding ALK; and detecting the presence of a nucleic acid sequence in the sample which hybridize to both the first and the second nucleic acid probes. Alternatively, a single nucleic acid probe which spans the NPM/ALK fusion junction can be used in place of the two separate probes. The present invention further provides methods of detecting the presence of the NPM/ALK fusion which are based on antibody detection systems. Specifically, since a NPM/ALK fusion protein is expressed in t(2:5) lymphoma cells, antibodies which identify the fusion protein can be used to detect the presence of the NPM/ALK fusion protein. For example, the NPM/ALK fusion protein can be detected by: contacting a sample with two antibodies, wherein a first antibody is capable of binding to NPM, and a second antibody is capable of binding to ALK; and detecting the presence of a protein in the sample which binds both the first and the second antibodies. In addition, due to the nature of the fusion protein created in the NPM/ALK fusion, a single antibody which binds selectively the fusion protein can be generated and used to identify NPM/ALK fusion. The invention further provides compartmentalized kits to receive in close confinement one or more containers containing the reagents used in the above described detection methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 (Panels A-C): (A) Southern blot analysis of DNAs prepared from a karyotypically normal, Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized human lymphocyte cell line (control, lanes 1, 4 and 7) and the t(2;5)-positive cell lines SU-DHL-1 (lanes 2, 5, and 8) and SUP-M2 (lanes 3, 6, and 9) with the pl6-3/1.3S probe. Arrowheads indicate rearranged restriction fragments. (B) Northern blot analysis of RNAs from t(2;5)-negative B-lymphoid (NALM-6, lane 2), T-lymphoid (MOLT4, lane 1; CEM, lane 3) and rhabdo- myosarcoma (Rh30, lane 7) transformed cell lines and the t(2;5)-positive lines SU-DHL-1, SUP-M2 and UCONN-L2 (lanes 4-6) with a 5' NPM cDNA fragment (top panel) and a 3' fragment from the NPM-ALK cDNA (pS1.2) (bottom panel) (The faint, approximately 4 kb bands evident in the t(2;5)- positive cell line RNAs that were hybridized with pS1.2 represent cross- hybridization of this probe with the 28S ribosomal RNA; such bands were not apparent in hybridizations of poly (A)+ RNA). Twenty micrograms of total RNA was loaded in each sample lane, with the exception of Rh30 [8 μg poly (A)+ ]. (C) Analysis of RNAs [2 μg poly (A)+ per lane; Clontech, San Diego, CA] from various adult and fetal human tissues with a 3' NPM-ALK cDNA probe (pS1.2). Open circles, 6.5 kb ALK transcripts; closed circles, 8.0 kb transcripts; open square, 4.4 kb transcript; arrowheads, 6.0 kb transcripts. Hybridization results obtained with a 3-actin cDNA probe are shown in the lower panel. The panels hybridized with pS 1.2 represent 6-day autoradiographic exposures; the 0-actin hybridizations were exposed for 4 hr. Figure 2 (Panels A-C): Deduced amino acid sequence of (A) NPM-ALK and (B) the portion of ALK immediately adjacent to the fusion junction, and (C) homology comparison of the catalytic domain of ALK with other tyrosine kinases of the insulin receptor subfamily. In panel A, solid circles indicate possible protein kinase C phosphorylation sites; dashed underline, potential metal-binding domain; arrows, boundaries of the ALK catalytic domain; asterisks, conserved residues of the consensus ATP recognition sequence and the ATP-binding lysine residue; solid underlines, consensus sequences specific for tyrosine kinases. In panel B, arrow, position in normal ALK at which NPM-ALK fusion occurs; box, residues (hydropho- bicity greater than 1.5) comprising a putative transmembrane domain. In panel C, the amino acid residues of the tyrosine kinase catalytic domains are aligned, with gaps indicated by dashes. Shaded boxes indicate residues in the related tyrosine kinases that are identical to amino acids of ALK. All sequences are for human proteins, excluding 71es (Drosophila melanogaster Sevenless) (J.J. Krolewski et al , EMBO J. 10:2911 (1991); H. Toyoshima et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:5404 (1993); D. Martin-Zanca et al , Nature 319:143 (1986); H. Matsushime etal., Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:3000 (1986); J.M. Chen et al , Oncogene. 6:257 (1991); K. Basler et al , Cell 54:299 (1988); D.D. Bowtell etal, Genes and Development 2:620 (1988); A. Ullrich et al. , EMBO J. 5:2503 (1986); A. Ullrich et al. , Nature 313:156 (1985); Y. Ebina et al, Cell 40:141 (1985)). Figure 3 (Panels A -C): (A) Southern blot analysis of NPM-ALK and NPM RNA-PCR products. Total RNAs (1 μg) from t(2;5)-positive cell lines (SU-DHL-1, SUP-M2 and UCONN-L2; lanes 3-5) and diagnostic samples (Pts. 1-4, lanes 6-9) were analyzed; in addition, RNAs from the t(2;5)-negative B- and T-lymphoid leukemia cell lines (NALM-6 and CEM, respectively; lanes 1,2) and the Rh30 rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (lane 10), which lacks the translocation but expresses normal ALK, were included as negative controls, as was a blank without RNA (lane 11). (B) Nucleotide sequence of the NPM-ALK RNA-PCR product. Single underlines, sequences homologous (5' end) or complementary (3' end) to the primers used for amplification; double underline, sequences homologous to the detection oligonucleotide used as a probe for Southern hybridization; vertical line, fusion junction between NPM and ALK. (C) Schematic representations of the proteins encoded by normal NPM, the NPM-ALK fusion gene and normal ALK. Arrows indicate the position of the NPM-ALK fusion junction and the corresponding positions in NPM and ALK; MB, potential metal-binding domain; AC, acidic amino acid clusters; N, nuclear localization signals; Tm, location of the putative transmembrane domain of normal ALK. NPM phosphorylation sites are also indicated (solid circles, protein kinase C; open circle, nucleolar type II kinase; asterisks, cdc2 kinase). The two protein kinase C phosphorylation sites in the NPM aminoterminus are potential sites only; all other sites have been demonstrated in vitro or in vivo (M. Peter et al, Cell 60:191 (1990); P.K. Chan et al, Biochem. J. 270:549 (1990); R. Beckmann et al , Eur. J. Biochem. 210: 45 (1992)). The portion of ALK that has not been fully characterized is shown within dashed lines. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based on the identification of the nucleic acid sequence which is present as a result of the translocation event associated with human t(2;5) lymphoma (hereinafter the NPM/ALK fusion gene), the identification of a novel protein tyrosine kinase gene on chromosome 2p23 (hereinafter the ALK gene and protein) , the identification of mRNA containing a fusion of the nucleolar phosphoprotein gene (hereinafter NPM) and the ALK gene which is present in t(2;5) lymphoma cells, and the identification of an open reading frame within the NPM/ALK fusion mRNA which encodes a novel fusion protein product (hereinafter the NPM/ALK fusion protein). Based on these observations, one embodiment of the present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid sequence which encodes the partial ALK protein (Seq. ID. No. 1), an isolated nucleic acid sequence which encodes the NPM/ALK fusion protein (Seq. ID. No. 2), an isolated partial ALK protein (Seq ID No. 3), and an isolated ALK/NPM fusion protein (Seq. ID No. 4). Specifically, the partial amino acid sequence of the ALK protein is presented in Figure 2 b and c (Seq. ID No. 3), the partial nucleic acid sequence encoding ALK is presented in Seq. ID No. 1, the amino acid sequence of NPM/ALK fusion protein is presented in Figure 2a (Seq. ID No. 2), the amino acid sequence of NPM/ALK fusion junction is presented in Figure 3b (Seq. ID No. 7), and the nucleic acid sequence encoding the NPM/ALK fusion junction is presented in Figure 3b (Seq. ID No. 4). A clone containing the ALK cDNA has been deposited under the terms of the Budapest Treaty at the ATCC and designated ATCC 69497. By inserting any of the nucleic acid sequences of the present invention into an appropriate vector, one skilled in the art can readily produce large quantities of the specific sequence. Alternatively, the nucleic acid sequences of the present invention can be inserted into an expression vector in order to produce the amino acid sequences of the present invention. There are numerous host/vectors systems available for the propagation of nucleic acid sequences and/or the production of expressed proteins. These include, but are not limited to, plasmid and viral vectors, and prokaryotic and eukaryotic host. One skilled in die art can readily adapt any host/vector system which is capable of propagating or expressing heterologous DNA to produce or express the sequences of the present invention. In Example 1, the present invention provides evidence that the nucleic acid sequences containing the NPM/ALK fusion sequence are present in patients with t(2;5) lymphoma. Based on this observation, the present invention provides methods of assaying for the presence of nucleic acid sequences containing the NPM/ALK fusion in a sample and thus provides an assay for the detection of t(2;5) lymphoma. One example of the assay methods of the present invention which are used to detect NPM/ALK fusions are based on the preferential amplification of sequences within a sample which contain the nucleic acid sequence encoding the NPM/ALK fusion protein. In general, an amplification reaction such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify either the mRNA encoding the NPM/ALK fusion protein, or the genomic DNA which contains the t(2;5) translocation. Specifically, utilizing the sequences of the identified fusion gene, the present invention provides methods of identifying the presence of a nucleic acid sequence in a sample which contains the NPM/ALK fusion sequence comprising the steps of: contacting a sample with two nucleic acid amplification primers, wherein a first nucleic acid amplification primer is capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid sequence encoding NPM or a complementary sequence thereof, and a second nucleic acid amplification primer which is capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid sequence encoding ALK or a complementary sequence thereof; amplifying the primed nucleic acid sequences in the sample; and detecting the presence of amplified nucleic acid sequence in the sample which contains the NPM/ALK fusion sequence. As used herein, an amplification primer is any short DNA sequence which can hybridize to a target sequence and allow the target sequence to be amplified when incubated with the appropriate reagents under the appropriate condition. For example see Ausubel et al. , Current .Protocols in Molecular Biology, Wiley Press (1993). Amplification requires the use of two primers which flank the region which is to be amplified. One primer hybridizes to the target sequence while the other primer hybridizes to a sequence complementary to the target sequence. In the present invention, one of the amplification primers is derived from the sequence of NPM gene while the second primer is derived from the sequence of the ALK gene. Any fragment of the NPM or ALK gene sequences can be used to generate the appropriate amplification primers so long as the fragments of the sequence which are chosen are present in the NPM/ALK fusion gene. In Example 1, Seq ID No. 5 and the reverse complementary sequence of Seq. ID No. 6 were chosen as primers. One skilled in the art will readily recognize that other fragments of the NPM and ALK genes can be used as primers in order to obtain similar results. The target sequence which is to be amplified can either be the mRNA which encodes the NPM/ALK fusion protein or can be genomic DNA which contains the t(2;5) translocation. A skilled artisan can readily employ techniques known in the art to prepare a sample containing the appropriate target molecule. As used herein, an amplification primer is said to be capable of hybridizing to a nucleic acid sequence if the primer is capable of forming hydrogen bonds with the target sequence under appropriate condition. In general the preferred condition are characterized as being high stringency condition. A skilled artisan can readily determine the appropriate conditions following methods described elsewhere (PCR Protocols, Cold Spring Harbor Press (1991), Privitera et al, Blood 79: 1781 (1992)). As used herein, amplification refers to the process of generating multiple copies of a target sequence. Various methods and enzymes are available to accomplish this goal. In the preferred embodiment, Taq-1 DNA polymerase is used in the method known as PCR to amplify the target sequence (see Example 1). However, a skilled artisan can substitute other enzymes for the Taq-1 polymerase so long as the amplification goal is achieved. As used herein, detecting the amplified target sequence refers to any method which can be employed to determine the presence or absence of an amplified nucleic acid sequence of a given size or a particular sequence. In one application, the amplification product is subjected to agarose or acrylamide gel electrophoresis to resolve the various sizes of nucleic acids which are present in the amplified sample. The . resulting gel can then be analyzed visually using a nucleic acid stain, for example ethidium bromide, to determine if an appropriately sized nucleic acid molecule is present in the amplified sample. Alternatively, a detectably labeled probe can be employed to determine if the sample contains the amplified sequence (See Example 1). Such a probe can be used following the above described electrophoresis, or can be used in a dot blot or in situ assay method. The generation of a detection probe base on the NPM/ALK fusion gene is described in detail below. In addition to methods which rely on the amplification of a target sequence, the present invention further provides methods for identifying nucleic acids containing the NPM/ALK fusions which do not require sequence amplification. Specifically, the known methods of Southern and Northern blot hybridization can be employed to determine if a sample contains the NPM/ALK nucleic acid fusion sequence (Sambrook et al. , Molecular Cloning ed. Spring Harbor Press (1989)). In detail, such fusions can be detected by: contacting a sample with two nucleic acid probes, wherein a first nucleic acid probe is capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid sequence encoding NPM, and a second nucleic acid probe is capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid sequence encoding ALK; and detecting the presence of a nucleic acid sequence within the sample which hybridizes to both the first and d e second nucleic acid probes. The nucleic acid probes of the present invention include DNA as well as RNA probes, such probes being generated using techniques known in the art (Sambrook et al, Molecular Cloning ed. Spring Harbor Press (1989)). A skilled artisan can employ such known techniques using the NPM and ALK gene sequences herein described, or fragments thereof, as probes. In another application of the above described method, a single nucleic acid probe, as opposed to two separate probes, spanning the fusion region of the NPM/ALK fusion, is employed in the Southern or Northern assay system. Specifically, such a method comprises the steps of: contacting a sample with a single nucleic acid probe, wherein the nucleic acid probe is capable of hybridizing to the fusion junction of the NPM/ALK fusion gene; and detecting the presence of nucleic acid sequences in the sample which hybridizes to the nucleic acid probe. Alternatively, a single probe can be designed which is based on eitiier the ALK, NPM or NPM/ALK fusion sequence. Such a probe will correspond to a restriction enzyme fragment of NPM or ALK whose size is altered as a result of die rearrangement (restriction fragment length polymorphism, RFLP analysis). Any method known in the art can be utilized to label the probes used in die above assay methods. In me two probe embodiment, the first and die second probe can be labeled with different radioisotopes, enzymes or chromophores. Using the differently labeled probes, one can identify DNA sequences which bind one or botii of the probes. In another application, die first and die second probe can be labeled in such a fashion that a signal is produced when die probes hybridize to die same nucleic acid fragment. Such a procedure is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,820,630. In one application of the above described method, one of the nucleic acid probes is immobilized on a solid support. Examples of such solid supports include, but are not limited to, plastics such as polycarbonate, complex carbohydrates such as agarose and sepharose, and acrylic resins, such as polyacrylamide and latex beads. Techniques for coupling nucleic acid probes to such solid supports are well known in die art. The samples used in me detection methods of die present invention include, but are not limited to, cells or tissues, protein, membrane, or nucleic acid extracts of the cells or tissues, and biological fluids such as blood, serum, and plasma. The sample used in die above-described method will vary based on die assay format, nature of me detection metiiod, and die tissues, cells or extracts which are used as the sample. Methods for preparing protein extracts, membrane extracts or nucleic acid extracts of cells are well known in the art and can be readily be adapted in order to obtain a sample which is compatible with the method utilized. One preferred type of sample which can be utilized in die present invention is derived from isolated lymphoma cells. Such cells can be used to prepare a suitable extract or can be used in procedures based on in situ analysis. An example of in situ analysis is referred to as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and is described in detail in Example 1 and by Seller. et al. PNAS 55:887-891 (1991) and Tkachuk et al. Science 250:559-562 (1990). The present invention further provides methods of detecting NPM/ALK fusions which rely on the ability of an antibody to selectively bind to a specific antigen. In one embodiment, a NPM/ALK fusion protein is detected using two sets of antibodies, one set comprising an antibody capable of binding to die NPM protein and die otiier set comprising an antibody capable of binding to me ALK protein. Specifically, such a method comprises me steps of: contacting a sample with two antibodies, wherein a first antibody is capable of binding to NPM, and a second antibody is capable of binding to ALK; and detecting the presence of proteins in the sample which bind to bom the first and the second antibody. The antibodies utilized in die above methods can be monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies, as well fragments of these antibodies. In general, techniques for preparing monoclonal antibodies are well known in the art (Campbell, A.M., "Monoclonal Antibody Technology: Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology," Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netiierlands (1984); St. Groth et al, J. Immunol. Methods 55:1-21 (1980). For example, an antibody capable of binding die NPM or ALK protein can be generated by immunizing an animal with a polypeptide whose sequence is obtained from a region of me NPM or ALK proteins which are present in the NPM/ALK fusion protein. Any animal (mouse, rabbit, etc.) which is known to produce antibodies can be utilized to produce antibodies witii the desired specificity. Metiiods for immunization are well known in the art. Such methods include subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injection of me polypeptide. One skilled in die art will recognize that the amount of polypeptide used for immunization will vary based on die animal which is immunized, me antigenicity of the polypeptide selected, and die site of injection. The polypeptide may be modified or administered in an adjuvant in order to increase die peptide antigenicity. Metiiods of increasing the antigenicity of a polypeptide are well known in die art. Such procedures include coupling die antigen with a heterologous protein (such as globulin or /3-galactosidase) or through the inclusion of an adjuvant during immunization. For generating monoclonal antibodies, spleen cells from me immunized animals are removed, fused witii myeloma cells, such as SP2/0-Agl4 myeloma cells, and allowed to become monoclonal antibody producing hybridoma cells. Any one of a number of methods well known in the art can be used to identify die hybridoma cell which produces an antibody witii die desired characteristics. These include screening die hybridomas with an ELISA assay, western blot analysis, or radioimmunoassay (Lutz et al, Exp. Cell Res. 775:109-124 (1988)). Hybridomas secreting d e desired antibodies are cloned and d e class and subclass are determined using procedures known in the art (Campbell, A.M., Monoclonal Antibody Technology: Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (1984)). For polyclonal antibodies, antibody containing antisera is isolated from me immunized animal and is screened for the presence of antibodies with the desired specificity using one of the above-described procedures. Conditions for incubating an antibody with a test sample vary. Incubating conditions depend on die format employed for the assay, the detection methods employed, me nature of the test sample, and die type and nature of the antibody used in d e assay. One skilled in the art will recognize tiiat any one of die commonly available immunological assay formats (such as radioimmunoassays, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, diffusion based ouchterlony, or rocket immunofluorescent assays) can readily be adapted to employ the antibodies of die present invention. Examples of such assays can be found in Chard, T. "An Introduction to Radioimmunoassay and Related Techniques" Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Nedierlands (1986); Bullock, G.R. et al. , "Techniques in Immunocytochemistry, " Academic Press, Orlando, FL Vol. 1 (1982), Vol. 2 (1983), Vol. 3 (1985); Tijssen, P., "Practice and Theory of Enzyme Immunoassays: Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, " Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (1985). In one embodiment of the above described method eitiier d e anti-NPM antibody or die anti-ALK antibody is immobilized on a solid support. Examples of such solid supports include, but are not limited to, plastics such as polycarbonate, complex carbohydrates such as agarose and sepharose, and acrylic resins, such as polyacrylamide and latex beads. Techniques for coupling antibodies to such solid supports are well kno n in the art (Weir, D.M. et al , "Handbook of Experimental Immunology" 4th Ed., Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, England, Chapter 10 (1986), Jacoby, W.D. et al, Meth. Enzym. 34 Academic Press, N.Y. (1974). Additionally, one or more of the antibodies used in die above described methods can be detectably labelled prior to use. Antibodies can be detectably labelled through the use of radioisotopes, affinity labels (such as biotin, avidin, etc.), enzymatic labels (such as horse radish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, etc.) fluorescent labels (such as FITC or rhodamine, etc.), paramagnetic atoms, etc. Procedures for accomplishing such labelling are well-known in the art, for example see Sternberger, L.A. et al, J. Histochem. Cytochem. 18:315 (1970), Bayer, E.A. et al, Meth. Enzym. 62:308 (1979), Engval, E. et al, Immunol. 109:129 (1972), Goding, J.W., J. Immunol Meth. 13:215 (1976). In another example of the above methods, the antibodies are labeled such mat a signal is produced when the two antibodies bind to die same molecule. One such system is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,663,278. In anodier embodiment of an antibody based detection system, a single antibody is employed which is capable of binding to an epitope which is present at me fusion junction of die NPM/ALK fusion protein but which is not present in the non-fusion NPM or ALK proteins. The fusion junction of die NPM/ALK fusion protein is described in Figure 3b. A skilled artisan can readily employ the amino acid sequence of die fusion junction to generate peptide antigens for use in the above described metiiods of generating antibodies. The materials used in die above assay methods (bom nucleic acid and protein based) are ideally suited for die preparation of a kit. For example, for amplification based detection systems, the invention provides a compartmentalized kit to receive in close confinement, one or more containers which comprises: (a) a first container comprising one or more of die amplification primers of the present invention; and (b) one or more other containers comprising one or more of the following: a sample reservoir, amplification reagents, wash reagents, and detection reagents. For antibody based detection systems, the present invention provides a compartmentalized kit to receive in close confinement, one or more containers which comprises: a) A first container comprising an antibody capable of binding to NPM; b) A second container comprising an antibody capable of binding to ALK; and c) One or more other containers comprising one or more of the following: wash reagents and reagents capable of detecting die presence of bound antibodies from the first and the second containers. The invention further provides a kit compartmentalized to received in close confinement one or more containers which comprises: a) A first container comprising an antibody capable of binding to an epitope which is present in the fusion junction of die NPM/ALK fusion protein and which is not present in either of die two non-fusion proteins; and b) One or more other containers comprising one or more of the following: wash reagents and reagents capable of detecting the presence of bound antibodies from the first container. In detail, a compartmentalized kit includes any kit in which reagents are contained in separate containers. Such containers include small glass containers, plastic containers or strips of plastic or paper. Such containers allows one to efficiently transfer reagents from one compartment to another compartment such mat the samples and reagents are not cross-contaminated, and e agents or solutions of each container can be added in a quantitative fashion from one compartment to another. Such containers will include a container which will accept die test sample, a container which contains the antibodies or probes used in die assay, containers which contain wash reagents (such as phosphate buffered saline, Tris-buffers, etc.), and containers which contain the reagents used to detect die bound antibody or die hybridized probe. For nucleic acid probes, examples of detection reagents include, but are not limited to radiolabeled probes, enzymatic labeled probes (horse radish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase), and affinity labeled probes (biotin, avidin, or steptavidin). For antibodies, examples of detection reagents include, but are not limited to, labelled secondary antibodies, or in me alternative, if the primary antibody is labelled, die chromophoric, enzymatic, or antibody binding reagents which are capable of reacting with die labelled antibody. One skilled in die art will readily recognize that the antibodies and nucleic acid probes described in die present invention can readily be incorporated into one of the established kit formats which are well known in the art. The present invention further includes metiiods for selectively killing cells expressing die NPM/ALK fusion protein. In detail, such a method comprises contacting a cell expressing the NPM/ALK fusion protein with a toxin derivatized antibody, wherein die antibody is capable of binding to die fusion protein but is incapable of binding to non-fusion NPM or ALK protein. Example of such antibodies are toxin derivatized antibodies which bind to fusion junction of Seq. ID No. 2. As used herein, an antibody is said to be "toxin-derivatized" when the antibody is covalently attached to a toxin moiety. Procedures for coupling such moieties to a molecule are well known in the art. The binding of a toxin derivatized antibody to a cell brings the toxin moiety into close proximity to the cell and diereby promotes cell death. By providing such an antibody molecule to a mammal, the cell expressing the fusion protein can be preferentially killed. Any suitable toxin moiety may be employed; however, it is preferable to employ toxins such as, for example, the ricin toxin, d e cholera toxin, the diphtiieria toxin, radioisotopic toxins, or membrane-channel-forming toxins. The antibodies of die present invention may be administered to a mammal intravenously, intramuscularly, subcutaneously, enterally, topically or parenterally. When administering antibodies or peptides by injection, die administration may be by continuous injections, or by single or multiple injections. The antibodies of die present invention are intended to be provided to recipient mammal in a "pharmaceutically acceptable form" in an amount sufficient to "tiierapeutically effective. " An amount is said to be dierapeutically effective if the dosage, route of administration, etc. of me agent are sufficient to preferentially kill a portion of die cells expressing die NPM/ALK fusion protein. An antibody is said to be "pharmacologically acceptable form" if its administration can be tolerated by a recipient patient. The antibodies of die present invention can be formulated according to known methods of preparing pharmaceutically useful compositions, whereby ti ese materials, or their functional derivatives, are combined witii a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier vehicle. Suitable vehicles and their formulation, inclusive of other human proteins, e.g., human serum albumin, are described, for example, in Remington 's Pharmaceutical Sciences (16th ed. , Osol, A. , Ed. , Mack, Easton PA (1980)). In order to form a pharmaceutically acceptable composition which is suitable for effective administration, such compositions will contain an effective amount of an antibody of die present invention together with a suitable amount of carrier. In addition to carriers, the antibodies of die present invention may be supplied in humanized form. Humanized antibodies may be produced, for example by replacing an immunogenic portion of an antibody witii a corresponding, but non- immunogenic portion (i.e. chimeric antibodies) (Robinson, R.R. et al, International Patent Publication PCT/US86/02269; Akira, K. et al, European Patent Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Patent Application 171,496; Morrison, S.L. et al, European Patent Application 173,494; Neuberger, M.S. et al, PCT Application WO 86/01533; Cabilly, S. et al, European Patent Application 125,023; Better, M. et al , Science 240: 1041-1043 (1988); Liu, A.Y. et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 54:3439-3443 (1987); Liu, A.Y. et al, J. Immunol 139:3521-3526 (1987); Sun, L.K. et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 54:214-218 (1987); Nishimura, Y. et al, Cane. Res. 47:999-1005 (1987); Wood, CR. et al, Nature 314:446-449 (1985)); Shaw etal, J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80:1553-1559 (1988). In providing a patient witii a toxin derivatized antibody, the dosage of administered agent will vary depending upon such factors as die patient's age, weight, height, sex, general medical condition, previous medical history, etc. In general, it is desirable to provide die recipient with a dosage of the antibody which is in die range of from about 1 pg/kg to 10 mg/kg (body weight of patient), although a lower or higher dosage may be administered. In anotiier embodiment of die present invention, methods are provided for modulating die translation of RNA encoding the NPM/ALK fusion protein in the cell. Specifically, such method comprise introducing into a cell a DNA sequence which is capable of transcribing RNA which is complimentary to the mRNA encoding the NPM/ALK fusion protein. By introducing such a DNA sequence into a cell, antisense RNA will be produced which will hybridize and block die translation of the NPM/ALK fusion protein. Antisense cloning has been described elsewhere in more detail by Metiiis et al. , Blood 82: 1395-1401 (1993); Stein et al., Science 262:1004-1012 (1993); Mirabella et al, Anti- Cancer Drug Design 6:647-661 (1991); Rosenberg etal, Nature 313:103-106 (1985), Preiss etal, Nature 313:21-32 (1985), Melton, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 52:144-148 (1985) and Kim et al, Cell 42:129-138 (1985). Transcription of me introduced DNA will result in multiple copies of the antisense RNA being generated. By controlling die level of transcription of antisense RNA, and the tissue specificity of expression via promoter selection or gene targeting of d e antisense expression sequence, one skilled in die art can regulate the level of translation of the NPM/ALK fusion protein in specific cells witiiin a patient. The level of expression of die NPM/ALK fusion protein can also be controlled through the use of ribozyme technology (for example, see Shore et al , Oncogen 5:3183-3188 (1993); Sarver et al , Science 247:1222-1225 (1990); and Cech, T., JAMA 260:303-3034 (1988)). In detail, using know procedures, ribozymes specific for the NPM/ALK fusion mRNA can be generated and eitiier supplied to or expressed witiiin a cell. The supplying or expression of die ribozyme results in die cleavage of die mRNA encoding die NPM/ALK fusion. In another embodiment of die present invention, methods are provided for identifying agents which are capable of binding to die NPM/ALK fusion protein herein described. In detail, such metiiods comprise: (a) contacting an agent witii NPM/ALK fusion protein, or fragment thereof; and (b) determining whether the agent binds to die fusion protein. Using this method, agent which can be used to modulate die activity of the NPM/ALK fusion protein can be identified. In anodier embodiment of the present invention, methods are provided for identifying agents which are capable of binding to die ALK fusion herein described. In detail, such methods comprise: (a) contacting an agent with ALK protein, or a fragment thereof; and (b) determining whether die agent binds to die ALK protein. Using this method, agent which can be used to modulate die activity of die ALK protein can be identified. In addition, tiiis method can be used to identify the ligand of die ALK protein. There are numerous variations of the above assays which can be used by a skilled artisan without the need for undue experimentation in order to isolate agonists, antagonists, and ligands of ALK. For example an antibody can be used to co-precipitate the ALK bound agent to aid in purification and identification. In addition, the ALK protein, or a fragment containing the active site of ALK, can be used to screen an expression library for genes encoding proteins which bind ALK. Further, cells expressing ALK on their surface can be used as an alternative to using isolated ALK protein. The agents screen in the above assay can be, but is not limited to, peptides, carbohydrates, or vitamin derivatives. The agents can be selected and screened at random or rationally selected or designed using protein modeling techniques. For random screening, agents such as peptides or carbohydrates are selected at random and are assayed for there ability to bind to the pseudogene peptide. Alternatively, agents may be rationally selected or designed. As used herein, an agent is said to be "rationally selected or designed" when die agent is chosen based on die configuration of the pseudogene peptide. For example, one skilled in die art can readily adapt currently available procedures to generate peptides capable of binding to a specific peptide sequence in order to generate rationally designed antipeptide peptides, for example see Hurby et al. , Application of Syntiietic Peptides: Antisense Peptides", In Synthetic Peptides, A User's Guide, W.H. Freeman, NY, pp. 289-307 (1992), and Kaspczak et al, Biochemistry 25:9230-8 (1989). Using the above procedure, the present invention provides agents capable of binding to die NPM/ALK fusion protein, produced by die steps of: (a) contacting said agent widi NPM/ALK fusion protein, or a fragment thereof; and (b) determining whether said agent binds to said NPM/ALK fusion protein. Using the above procedure, die present invention provides agents capable of binding to die ALK protein, produced by die steps of: (a) contacting said agent witii the ALK protein, or a fragment thereof; and (b) determining whether said agent binds to said ALK protein. The present invention further provides methods of generating transgenic animals which contain the NPM/ALK gene fusion and/or the ALK gene. Such animals are useful as animal models for human t(2;5) lymphoma and for studying ALK function and activity. In general, methods of generating transgenic animals are well known in the art (for example, see Grosveld et al. , Transgenic Animals, Academic Press Ltd., San Diego, CA (1992)). Using the sequences disclosed herein for die NPM/ALK fusion or the ALK protein, a skilled artisan can readily generate a transgenic animal which contains and expresses the NPM/ALK fusion protein and/or die ALK protein. Transgenic animals (such as mice and pigs) which express me NPM/ALK fusion can be used as an animal model for human t(2;5) lymphoma. Transgenic animals which express the ALK protein are useful for studying ALK function and activity. Such animals serve as models for the development of alternative therapies for t(2;5) lymphoma. In addition to transgenic non-human mammals which have been altered to contain the human ALK gene or the NPM/ALK fusion gene, the present invention further provides non-human transgenic mammals which have been altered to "knock-out" the expression of die normal non-human mammalian homologue of the ALK gene. Specifically using procedures of gene targeting described elsewhere, a skilled artisan can employ the ALK gene of the present invention to inactivate (knock out) a homologous gene in a non-human mammal (Mansour et al, Nature 536:348-352 (1988)). The "knock out" procedure has been successfully employed in a number of mammalian systems, for example see Lui et al, Cell 75:59-72 (1993). Because of the high degree of conservation of the ALK gene, the human Alk sequence can be employed in non-human mammals in the standard knock out procedures. Having now generally described in die invention, the agents and methods of obtaining same will be more readily understood tiirough reference to the following examples which are provided by way of illustration, they are not intended to be limiting of me present invention unless specified. Example 1 To clone the genes altered by d e t(2;5), we used a positional strategy based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) ordering of regionally derived cosmid clones. (In contrast to the majority of leukemia- and lymphoma-associated chromosomal translocations that have been molecularly characterized, die t(2;5) does not involve immunoglobulin or T-cell receptor genes, nor other cloned genes that have been previously localized to the breakpoint regions. Thus, to identify die breakpoint on chromosome 5, we isolated microdissection clones from bands 5q34-q35 and used diem to identify 39 cosmid clones (D. Saltman et al, Nucleic Acids Res. 20:1401(1992)), which then were oriented relative to the breakpoint by FISH analysis of metaphase chromosomes from the SUP-M2 and SU-DHL-1 t(2;5)-positive cell lines [R. Morgan et al, Blood 73:2155, (1989)] . Seventeen clones mapped centromeric and 22 clones telomeric to the breakpoint; clones from these groups were oriented relative to one another by two-color metaphase FISH analysis. FISH was performed as previously described [S. Morris et al, Blood 75:2013, (1991); D. Saltman et al, Genomics 76:726(1993)]. The estimated genomic distance between the two cosmids tiiat flanked the breakpoint most closely, designated cos47C12 (centromeric) and cosl91E7 (telomeric), was 290 kb by interphase FISH analysis [J.Lawrence et al, Science 249:928 (1990); B. Trask et al, Am. J. Hum. Genet. 48:1 (1991)] in cells containing a normal chromosome 5. Despite their proximity to the chromosome 5 breakpoint, probes prepared from tiiese cosmids did not detect rearranged restriction fragments by Southern blot analysis of pulsed-field gels prepared from DNA of t(2;5)-containing cell lines). Bidirectional chromosome walks were performed from cosmids, approximately 290 kb apart, mat flanked die breakpoint on chromosome 5; each walk spanned a genomic region of 150 kb. Using genomic probes the isolated 70 kb from me telomeric cosmid, we detected rearranged restriction fragments in DNAs of two cell lines containing the t(2;5) (Fig. 1A) (Approximately 70 kb toward die breakpoint from the telomeric flanking clone, we isolated chromosome 5-specific genomic probes (pl6-3/1.2S and p21-3/3E) that identified rearranged fragments witii multiple enzymes in Southern blot analysis of DNAs from t(2;5)-positive cell lines. The genomic fragment pl6-3/1.2S is located immediately centromeric to the chromosome 5 breakpoint, whereas p21-3/3E lies just telomeric to the break. Bom probes identified a 1.6 kb transcript in Northern analysis of RNAs prepared from t(2;5)-positive and negative cell lines; in addition, pl6-3/1.2S hybridized to a 2.4 kb transcript found only in t(2;5)-positive RNAs). One of the probes (p21-3/3E) was hybridized to a cDNA library prepared from the polyadenylated RNA of the UOC-B1 pro-B leukemia cell line, which lacks the t(2;5). Multiple cDNA clones were isolated tiiat hybridized to a ubiquitously expressed 1.6 kb mRNA, which was predicted by sequence analysis to encode nucleophosmin (NPM; also known as B23 or numatrin) — a highly conserved nucleolar phosphoprotein that shuttles ribosomal components between the nucleolus and the cytoplasm in the later stages of ribosome assembly (W.Y. Chan etal, Biochemistry 25:1033 (1989); R. A. Borer et al. , Cell 56:319 (1989)). Probing of RNAs prepared from cell lines with or without die t(2;5), using a subclone from the 5' end of the NPM cDNA, identified botii die normal NPM transcript and a 2.4 kb transcript restricted to t(2;5)-positive cell lines (Fig. IB, top). A subclone containing 3' untranslated sequences detected only die normal 1.6 kb NPM transcript (not shown). By screening a cDNA library prepared from the mRNA of die SU- DHL-1 t(2;5)-containing cell line, we isolated more than 20 clones that hybridized to 5' but not 3' NPM probes. Sequences from the 5' ends of me three longest clones were identical to 5' NPM cDNA sequences but diverged after die codon for Val 117 . NPM sequences 3' of this codon were replaced by 1223 nucleotides, resulting in an open reading frame of 1575 nucleotides (Fig. 2A) . A probe prepared from me 3 ' end of die fusion cDNA (pS 1.2) identified die same 2.4 kb transcript that had been detected witii die 5' NPM probe in RNAs from t(2;5)-positive cells (Fig. IB, bottom). This fragment was localized to band p23 of chromosome 2 by hybridization to DNAs of human x rodent somatic cell hybrids and by metaphase FISH analysis (not shown), indicating that the 2.4 kb mRNA is encoded by a fused gene created by die t(2;5). The 3' portion of die chimeric t(2;5) cDNA encodes conserved residues characteristic of the catalytic domain of members of die protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK) gene family (S.K. Hanks et al, Science 241:42 (1988); S.S. Taylor, et al , Annu. Rev. CellBiol. 5:429 (1992)). (Fig. 2, A and C). Comparison of this newly identified anaplastic /ymphoma λinase (ALK) (NPM and ALK are approved HGM gene symbols. (P.McAlpine, personal communication)) witii known PTK family members indicated greatest homology to members of the insulin receptor kinase subfamily, including leukocyte tyrosine kinase (LTK; 64% amino acid identity), TRKA (38%), ROS (37%) and its Drosophila homologue Sevenless (35%), the 0-chain of die insulin-like growth factor- 1 receptor (IGF1R; 37%) and the β-chain of the insulin receptor (IR; 36%) (J.J. Krolewski et al, EMBO J. 10:2911 (1991); H. Toyoshima et al , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:5404 (1993); D. Martin-Zanca et al, Nature 319:143 (1986); H. Matsushime et al , Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:3000 (1986); J.M. Chen et al , Oncogene. 6:257 (1991); K. Basler et al, Cell 54:299 (1988); D.D. Bowtell et al , Genes and Development 2:620 (1988); A. Ullrich et al , EMBO J. 5:2503 (1986); A. Ullrich et al, Nature 313:156 (1985); Y. Ebina et al, Cell 40:141 (1985)). The structure of normal ALK proteins was determined by screening a cDNA library prepared from a rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (Rh30), using die pS1.2 ALK probe. Analysis of the inserts of the two largest clones, pRMS4 and pRMS17-2, revealed 3' ALK sequences identical to tiiose in the fusion gene cDNA, indicating tiiat mutations had not occurred in the chimeric protein. Sequences of ALK immediately upstream of the NPM-ALK junction encoded 23 hydrophobic amino acids typical of a transmembrane domain (Fig. 2B), whereas tiiose from the extreme 5' ends of the ALK clones were 50% identical to sequences encoding insulin-like growtii factor binding protein- 1 (IBP-1) (IBP-1 is a 30 kDa secreted protein found in human plasma and amniotic fluid tiiat binds insulin-like growth factor- 1 (IGF1) with high affinity [A. Brinkman et al, EMBO J. 7:2411 (1988); Y.L. Lee et al , Mol Endocrinol. 2:404 (1988); M. Julkunen et al, FEBS Lett. 236:295 (1988)]). These comparisons indicate tiiat die normal ALK product is a membrane- spanning tyrosine kinase receptor. Significantly, die transmembrane segment and putative extracellular ligand binding domain are not included in die NPM- ALK chimeric protein. ALK mRNAs of 6.5 kb and 8.0 kb were readily identified in small intestine and rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines, and were weakly expressed in brain (fetal and adult), colon and prostate (Fig. 1, B [bottom] and C). Abundant amounts of 4.4 kb and 6.0 kb mRNAs were detected in testis, whereas placenta and fetal liver each expressed a single 6.0 kb transcript. All four mRNAs were also detected witii a probe that contains only 3' untranslated ALK sequences, suggesting that they represent differentially spliced ALK mRNAs, not cross-hybridizing transcripts of other PTK genes. ALK transcripts were not detected in normal spleen, thymus, peripheral blood leukocytes, B-lymphoblastoid cell lines, phytohemagglutinin-stimulated T lymphocytes or t(2;5)-negative leukemia lymphoma cell lines of myeloid or B- or T-lymphoid derivation, implying that they are not normally expressed in hematopoietic cells. FISH mapping indicated tiiat NPM and ALK are transcribed in centromeric to telomeric orientations on chromosomes 5 and 2, respectively, witii die 2.4 kb fusion transcript arising from die derivative 5 translocated chromosome. Northern blot analysis provided no evidence for expression of a reciprocal ALK-NPM chimeric transcript, which could have been generated from the derivative 2 chromosome. An RNA-based polymerase chain reaction (RNA-PCR) method confirmed die specificity of the fusion junctions in chimeric transcripts expressed in lymphomas harboring the t(2;5) (Fig. 3, A and B) (RNA-PCR was performed as previously described in E. Privitera et al, Blood 79:1781 (1992). Reactions were performed simultaneously with oligonucleotide primers specific for the chimeric NPM-ALK transcript (see Fig. 3B) and with a primer pair derived from the ubiquitously expressed NPM gene as a control for reverse transcription and amplification. A 3' NPM primer (5'- GCTACCACCTCC AGGGGCAGA-3' (Seq. ID No. 8)) was used with the NPM primer shown in Fig. 3B for the control amplifications; die 185 bp NPM product was detected by hybridization witii an end-labeled oligonucleotide homologous to normal NPM sequences from the region in which the fusion junction occurs (5'-AGCACTTAGTAGCTGTGGAGGAAG-3' (Seq. ID No. 9)). NPM-ALK fusion RNA-PCR products were detected witii an end-labeled oligonucleotide that spans the fusion junction (5'-AGCACTTAGTAG TGTACCGCCGGA-3') (Seq. ID No. 10). Stringent post-hybridization washes were performed at 62°C in 2xSSC/0.1 % SDS for both the NPM-ALK and die NPM detection oligonucleotides). Conversely, fusion transcripts were not detected in cell lines lacking the t(2;5), including several rhabdomyosarcoma lines that expressed ALK transcripts. NPM-ALK junction sequences were found in die RNAs of all seven t(2;5)-positive samples, including die SU-DHL-1, SUP-M2 and UCONN-L2 cell lines and diagnostic samples from four patients with anaplastic large cell lymphomas (The patient samples (three lymph node biopsies, one pleural effusion) were each shown by cytogenetic analysis to contain lymphoma cells bearing the t(2;5). The sequence of the RNA-PCR products from cells of patients 2 and 4 was determined and found to be identical to the cDNA sequence obtained from the SU-DHL-1 cell line (Fig. 3B). Written informed consent was obtained from the patients or tiieir parents, and investigations were approved by die clinical trials review committee of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital). The breakpoints of the 2;5 translocation therefore appear to consistently involve the same introns of the NPM and ALK genes, leading to identical junctions in spliced mRNAs arising from me fused gene. Because of die difficulties in cytogenetic analysis of lymphoma biopsy samples, molecular detection of NPM-ALK fusion mRNAs by RNA-PCR should markedly improve the identification of these tumors. The frequency of the t(2;5) in anaplastic large cell lymphomas indicates mat the NPM-ALK product has a major role in the patiiogenesis of tiiese neoplasms. The normal NPM protein is a nonribosomal nucleolar phosphoprotein involved in d e assembly of preribosomal particles into both small and large ribosomal subunits (W.Y. Chan et al, Biochemistry 25:1033 (1989); R. A. Borer et al , Cell 56:319 (1989); M.S. Schmidt-Zachmann et al. , EMBO J. 6:1881 (1987); M.S. Schmidt-Zachmann et al, Chromosoma. 96:411 (1988); D. Hernandez- Verdun, J. Cell. Sci. 99:465 (1991)). It binds cooperatively witii high affinity to single-stranded nucleic acids, exhibits RNA helix-destabilizing activity, and is found in association with die most mature nucleolar preribosomal ribonucleoproteins (T.S. Dumbar et al, Biochemistry 25:9495 (1989)). The relative abundance of NPM transcripts and protein is cell cycle regulated. NPM transcription and translation peak just prior to the entry of cells into S phase, with a decline to baseline just before die onset of G2 phase (N. Feuerstein et al, J. Immunol. 759:1818 (1987); N. Feuerstein et al., J. Biol Chem. 262:11389 (1987); N. Feuerstein etal, J. Biol Chem. 263:10608 (1988); N. Feuerstein et al, J. Cell Biol. 107:1629 (1988); N. Feuerstein et al, Exp. Cell Res. 194:289 (1991)). Sequences encoding most of die known structural domains of NPM are not incorporated into die fusion transcript (W.Y. Chan et al, Biochemistry 25:1033 (1989); R.A. Borer etal, Cell 56:319 (1989); M. Peter etal, Cell 60:191 (1990); P.K. Chan et al, Biochem. J. 270:549 (1990); R. Beckmann et al. , Eur. J. Biochem. 210:45 (1992)) (Fig. 3C). We postulate that the NPM gene contributes an active promoter to drive expression of die ALK catalytic domain in lymphoma cells containing the t(2;5). This role for NPM would appear to be crucial, because the ALK promoter is normally silent in lymphoid cells. An oncogenic role, if any, for the amino-termiπal NPM coding sequences incorporated into NPM-ALK, including tiiose encoding potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites (Ser 43 and Thr 78 ) and a potential C-X 5 - H-X- 4 H metal binding motif (residues 104-115), remains to be established. The contribution of aberrantly activated receptor tyrosine kinases to malignant transformation is well recognized (J. Schlessinger et al. , Neuron 9:383 (1992); T. Pawson, Curr. Opin. Gen. Dev. 2:4 (1992)). For example, malignant activation of TRKA can occur through gene fusions similar to NPM- ALK, in which the enzyme's extracellular domain is replaced by amino acids encoded by other genes, including those for nonmuscle tropomyosin and die ribosomal protein L7a (D. Martin-Zanca et al , Nature 319:143 (1986); F. Coulier et al , Mol Cell. Biol. 9:15 (1989); R. Oskam et al , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 55:2964 (1988); S.C. Kozma et al , EMBO J. 7:147 (1988); A. Ziemiecki et al, EMBO J. 9:191 (1990)). A consistent feature of oncogenic TRKA fusion proteins as well as other tyrosine kinase oncogenes, including BCR-ABL, EGFR, HER2/NEU and CSF-1R, is that much of their potency can be attributed to mutations or gene fusions that lead to a constitutively active catalytic domain (J. Schlessinger et al , Neuron 9:383 (1992); T. Pawson, Curr. Opin. Gen. Dev. 2:4 (1992); D. Martin-Zanca et al, Nature 319:143, (1986); F. Coulier et al , Mol. Cell Biol. 9:15 (1989); R. Oskam et al. , Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 85:2964 (1988); S.C. Kozma et al, EMBO J. 7:147 (1988); A. Ziemiecki, et al , EMBO J. 9:191 (1990)). Thus, in NPM-ALK fusion proteins, one would predict tiiat the truncated ALK kinase is deregulated and phosphorylates intracellular substrates to trigger malignant transformation. Because anaplastic large cell lymphomas arise from activated T lymphocytes, which depend on IL-2 for growth and viability (K.A. Smith, Science 240:1169 (1988)), NPM-ALK may phosphorylate substrates that are normally phosphorylated in response to IL-2 receptor-mediated signals (E.M. Saltzman et al, J. Biol. Chem. 265:6956 (1988); D.K. Ferris et al, J. Immunol. 745:870 (1989); I.D. Horak et al , Proc. Natl. Acad. U.S.A. 55:1996 (1991); M. Hatakeyama et al. Science 252:1523, (1991); N. Kobayashi etal, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci U. S. A 90:4201 (1993)), leading to constitutive activation of this signal transduction pathway. Our findings stand in marked contrast to previous molecular genetic studies of T-cell lymphomas and leukemias arising in cells with an immature (thymic) immunophenotype. Chromosomal translocations in lymphoblastic T- cell malignancies consistently affect enhancers included in the TCR 3-chain locus on chromosome 7, band q34, or the alb locus on chromosome 14, band ql l (M.L. Cleary, Cell 66:619 (1991); T.H. Rabbitts, Cell 67:641 (1991)). In each case, these enhancers, which are highly active in T-cell progenitors, cause dysregulated expression of developmentally regulated transcription factor genes (e.g., TAL/SCL, LYLl, RHOMB/TTG and 7TO.X77) located at breakpoints on the reciprocal chromosomes. Our observations in large cell lymphoma suggest that the patiiways leading to malignant transformation in mature T lymphocytes differ from those responsible for the differentiation arrest and altered growtii of thymic progenitors. SEQUENCE LISTING (1) GENERAL INFORMATION: (i) APPLICANT: ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL 332 NORTH LAUDERDALE MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE 38101-0318 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INVENTORS: MORRIS, STEPHAN W. LOOK, A. THOMAS (ii) TITLE OF INVENTION: NOVEL FUSION NUCLEIC ACID SEQUENCES AND FUSION PROTEINS PRESENT IN HUMAN t(2:5) LYMPHOMA, METHODS OF DETECTION AND USES THEREOF (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 10 (iv) CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS: (A) ADDRESSEE: STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX (B) STREET: 1100 NEW YORK AVE NW, SUITE 600 (C) CITY: WASHINGTON (D) STATE: D.C. (F) ZIP: 20005-3934 (v) COMPUTER READABLE FORM: (A) MEDIUM TYPE: Floppy disk (B) COMPUTER: IBM PC compatible (C) OPERATING SYSTEM: PC-DOS/MS-DOS (D) SOFTWARE: Patentln Release #1.0, Version #1.25 (vi) CURRENT APPLICATION DATA: (A) APPLICATION NUMBER: PCT (B) FILING DATE: TBA (C) CLASSIFICATION: (vii) PRIOR APPLICATION DATA: (A) APPLICATION NUMBER: 08/160,861 (B) 03-DEC-1993 (C) CLASSIFICATION: (viii) ATTORNEY/AGENT INFORMATION: (A) NAME: SAMUEL L. FOX (B) REGISTRATION NUMBER: 30,353 (C) REFERENCE/DOCKET NUMBER: 0656.040PC00 (ix) TELECOMMUNICATION INFORMATION: (A) TELEPHONE: (202) 371-2600 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID Nθ:l: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 2608 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: both (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: CDS (B) LOCATION: 1..1719 <xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:l: AAA TCT TTG CAG GAG GGT GCC ACC GGA GGA CAT TCC TGC CCC CAG GCC 48 Lys Ser Leu Gin Glu Gly Ala Thr Gly Gly His Ser Cys Pro Gin Ala 1 5 10 15 ATG AAG AAG TGG GGG TGG GAG ACA AGA GGG GGT TTC GGA GGG GGT GGA 96 Met Lys Lys Trp Gly Trp Glu Thr Arg Gly Gly Phe Gly Gly Gly Gly 20 25 30 GGG GGG TGC TCC TCA GGT GGA GGA GGC GGA GGA TAT ATA GGC GGC AAT 144 Gly Gly Cys Ser Ser Gly Gly Gly Gly Gly Gly Tyr He Gly Gly Asn 35 40 45 GCA GCC TCA AAC AAT GAC CCC GAA ATG GAT GGG GAA GAT GGG GTT TCC 192 Ala Ala Ser Asn Asn Asp Pro Glu Met Asp Gly Glu Asp Gly Val Ser 50 55 60 TTC ATC AGT CCA CTG GGC ATC CTG TAC ACC CCA GCT TTA AAA GTG ATG 240 Phe He Ser Pro Leu Gly He Leu Tyr Thr Pro Ala Leu Lys Val Met 65 70 75 80 GAA GGC CAC GGG GAA GTG AAT ATT AAG CAT TAT CTA AAC TGC AGT CAC 288 Glu Gly His Gly Glu Val Asn He Lys His Tyr Leu Asn Cys Ser His 85 90 95 TGT GAG GTA GAC GAA TGT CAC ATG GAC CCT GAA AGC CAC AAG GTC ATC 336 Cys Glu Val Asp Glu Cys His Met Asp Pro Glu Ser His Lys Val He 100 105 110 TGC TTC TGT GAC CAC GGG ACG GTG CTG GCT GAG GAT GGC GTC TCC TGC 384 Cys Phe Cys Asp His Gly Thr Val Leu Ala Glu Asp Gly Val Ser Cys 115 120 125 ATT GTG TCA CCC ACC CCG GAG CCA CAC CTG CCA CTC TCG CTG ATC CTC 432 He Val Ser Pro Thr Pro Glu Pro His Leu Pro Leu Ser Leu He Leu 130 135 140 TCT GTG GTG ACC TCT GCC CTC GTG GCC GCC CTG GTC CTG GCT TTC TCC 480 Ser Val Val Thr Ser Ala Leu Val Ala Ala Leu Val Leu Ala Phe Ser 145 150 155 160 GGC ATC ATG ATT GTG TAC CGC CGG AAG CAC CAG GAG CTG CAA GCC ATG 528 Gly He Met He Val Tyr Arg Arg Lys His Gin Glu Leu Gin Ala Met 165 170 175 CAG ATG GAG CTG CAG AGC CCT GAG TAC AAG CTG AGC AAG CTC CGC ACC 576 Gin Met Glu Leu Gin Ser Pro Glu Tyr Lys Leu Ser Lys Leu Arg Thr 180 185 190 TCG ACC ATC ATG ACC GAC TAC AAC CCC AAC TAC TGC TTT GCT GGC AAG 624 Ser Thr He Met Thr Asp Tyr Asn Pro Asn Tyr Cys Phe Ala Gly Lys 195 200 205 ACC TCC TCC ATC AGT GAC CTG AAG GAG GTG CCG CGG AAA AAC ATC ACC 672 Thr Ser Ser He Ser Asp Leu Lys Glu Val Pro Arg Lys Asn He Thr 210 215 220 CTC ATT CGG GGT CTG GGC CAT GGC GCC TTT GGG GAG GTG TAT GAA GGC 720 Leu He Arg Gly Leu Gly His Gly Ala Phe Gly Glu Val Tyr Glu Gly 225 230 235 240 CAG GTG TCC GGA ATG CCC AAC GAC CCA AGC CCC CTG CAA GTG GCT GTG 768 Gin Val Ser Gly Met Pro Asn Asp Pro Ser Pro Leu Gin Val Ala Val 245 250 255 AAG ACG CTG CCT GAA GTG TGC TCT GAA CAG GAC GAA CTG GAT TTC CTC 816 Lys Thr Leu Pro Glu Val Cys Ser Glu Gin Asp Glu Leu Asp Phe Leu 260 265 .270 ATG GAA GCC CTG ATC ATC AGC AAA TTC AAC CAC CAG AAC ATT GTT CGC 864 Met Glu Ala Leu He He Ser Lys Phe Asn His Gin Asn He Val Arg 275 280 285 TGC ATT GGG GTG AGC CTG CAA TCC CTG CCC CGG TTC ATC CTG CTG GAG 912 Cys He Gly Val Ser Leu Gin Ser Leu Pro Arg Phe He Leu Leu Glu 290 295 300 CTC ATG GCG GGG GGA GAC CTC AAG TCC TTC CTC CGA GAG ACC CGC CCT 960 Leu Met Ala Gly Gly Asp Leu Lys Ser Phe Leu Arg Glu Thr Arg Pro 305 310 315 320 CGC CCG AGC CAG CCC TCC TCC CTG GCC ATG CTG GAC CTT CTG CAC GTG 1008 Arg Pro Ser Gin Pro Ser Ser Leu Ala Met Leu Asp Leu Leu His Val 325 330 335 GCT CGG GAC ATT GCC TGT GGC TGT CAG TAT TTG GAG GAA AAC CAC TTC 1056 Ala Arg Asp He Ala Cys Gly Cys Gin Tyr Leu Glu Glu Asn His Phe 340 345 350 ATC CAC CGA GAC ATT GCT GCC AGA AAC TGC CTC TTG ACC TGT CCA GGC 1104 He His Arg Asp He Ala Ala Arg Asn Cys Leu Leu Thr Cys Pro Gly 355 360 365 CCT GGA AGA GTG GCC AAG ATT GGA GAC TTC GGG ATG GCC CGA GAC ATC 1152 Pro Gly Arg Val Ala Lys He Gly Asp Phe Gly Met Ala Arg Asp He 370 375 380 TAC AGG GCG AGC TAC TAT AGA AAG GGA GGC TGT GCC ATG CTG CCA GTT 1200 Tyr Arg Ala Ser Tyr Tyr Arg Lys Gly Gly Cys Ala Met Leu Pro Val 385 390 395 400 AAG TGG ATG CCC CCA GAG GCC TTC ATG GAA GGA ATA TTC ACT TCT AAA 1248 Lys Trp Met Pro Pro Glu Ala Phe Met Glu Gly He Phe Thr Ser Lys 405 410 415 ACA GAC ACA TGG TCC TTT GGA GTG CTG CTA TGG GAA ATC TTT TCT CTT 1296 Thr Asp Thr Trp Ser Phe Gly Val Leu Leu Trp Glu He Phe Ser Leu 420 425 430 GGA TAT ATG CCA TAC CCC AGC AAA AGC AAC CAG GAA GTT CTG GAG TTT 1344 Gly Tyr Met Pro Tyr Pro Ser Lys Ser Asn Gin Glu Val Leu Glu Phe 435 440 445 GTC ACC AGT GGA GGC CGG ATG GAC CCA CCC AAG AAC TGC CCT GGG CCT 1392 Val Thr Ser Gly Gly Arg Met Asp Pro Pro Lys Asn Cys Pro Gly Pro 450 455 460 GTA TAC CGG ATA ATG ACT CAG TGC TGG CAA CAT CAG CCT GAA GAC AGG 1440 Val Tyr Arg He Met Thr Gin Cys Trp Gin His Gin Pro Glu Asp Arg 465 470 475 480 CCC AAC TTT GCC ATC ATT TTG GAG AGG ATT GAA TAC TGC ACC CAG GAC 1488 Pro Asn Phe Ala He He Leu Glu Arg He Glu Tyr Cys Thr Gin Asp 485 490 495 CCG GAT GTA ATC AAC ACC GCT TTG CCG ATA GAA TAT GGT CCA CTT GTG 1536 Pro Asp Val He Asn Thr Ala Leu Pro He Glu Tyr Gly Pro Leu Val 500 505 510 GAA GAG GAA GAG AAA GTG CCT GTG AGG CCC AAG GAC CCT GAG GGG GTT 1584 Glu Glu Glu Glu Lys Val Pro Val Arg Pro Lys Asp Pro Glu Gly Val 515 520 525 CCT CCT CTC CTG GTC TCT CAA CAG GCA AAA CGG GAG GAG GAG CAG CCC 1632 Pro Pro Leu Leu Val Ser Gin Gin Ala Lys Arg Glu Glu Glu Gin Pro 530 535 540 AGC TGC CCC ACC ACC TCT GCC TAC CAC CTC CTC TGG CAA GGC TGC AAA 1680 Ser Cys Pro Thr Thr Ser Ala Tyr His Leu Leu Trp Gin Gly Cys Lys 545 550 555 560 GAA ACC CAC AGC TGC AGA GGT CTC TGT TCG AGT CCC TAGAGGGCCG 1726 Glu Thr His Ser Cys Arg Gly Leu Cys Ser Ser Pro 565 570 CCCGGGGAAG CTTGCACAGG TCCACGGATC CAGAAACAAG CCCACCAGCT TGTGGAACCC 1786 AACGTACGGC TCCTGGTTTA CAGAGAAACC CACCAAAAAG AATAATCCTA TAGCAAAGAA 1846 GGAGCCACAC GACAGGGGTA ACCTGGGGCT GGAGGGAAGC TGTACTGTCC CACCTAACGT 1906 TGCAACTGGG AGACTTCCGG GGGCCTCACT GCTCCTAGAG CCCTCTTCGC TGACTGCCAA 1966 TATGAAGGAG GTACCTCTGT TCAGGCTACG TCACTTCCCT TGTGGGAATG TCAATTACGG 2026 CTACCAGCAA CAGGGCTTGC CCTTAGAAGC CGCTACTGCC CCTGGAGCTG GAGCTGGTCA 2086 TTACGAGGAT ACCATTCTGA AAAGCAAGAA TAGCATGAAC CAGCCTGGGC CCTGAGCTCG 2146 GTAGCACACT CACTTCTCTT CCTTGGGATC CCTAAGACCG TGGAGGAGAG AGAGGCAATG 2206 GCTCCTTCAC AAACCAGAGA CCAAATGTCA CGTTTTGTTT TGTGCCAACC TATTTTGAAG 2266 TACCACCAAA AAAGCTGTAT TTTGAAAATG CTTTAGAAAG GTTTTGAGCA TGGGTTCATC 2326 CTATTCTTTC GAAAGAAGAA AATATCATAA AAATGAGTGA TAAATACAAG GCCCAGATGT 2386 GGTTGCATAA GGTTTTTATG CATGTTTGTT GTATACTTCC TTATGCTTCT TTTAAATTGT 2446 GTGTGCTCTG CTTCAATGTA GTCAGAATTA GCTGCTTCTA TGTTTCATAG TTGGGGTCAT 2506 AGATGTTTCC TTGCCTTGTT GATGTGGACA TGAGCCATTT GAGGGGAGAG GGAACGGAAA 2566 TAAAGGAGTT ATTTGTAATG ACAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAA AA 2608 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 2440 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: both (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: CDS (B) LOCATION: 74..1651 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:2: CGGTTGTTCT CTGGAGCAGC GTTCTTTTAT CTCCGTCCGC CTTCTCTCCT ACCTAAGTGC 60 GTGCCGCCAC CCG ATG GAA GAT TCG ATG GAC ATG GAC ATG AGC CCC CTG 109 Met Glu Asp Ser Met Asp Met Asp Met Ser Pro Leu 1 5 10 AGG CCC CAG AAC TAT CTT TTC GGT TGT GAA CTA AAG GCC GAC AAA GAT 157 Arg Pro Gin Asn Tyr Leu Phe Gly Cys Glu Leu Lys Ala Asp Lys Asp 15 20 25 TAT CAC TTT AAG GTG GAT AAT GAT GAA AAT GAG CAC CAG TTA TCT TTA 205 Tyr His Phe Lys Val Asp Asn Asp Glu Asn Glu His Gin Leu Ser Leu 30 35 40 AGA ACG GTC AGT TTA GGG GCT GGT GCA AAG GAT GAG TTG CAC ATT GTT 253 Arg Thr Val Ser Leu Gly Ala Gly Ala Lys Asp Glu Leu His He Val 45 50 55 60 GAA GCA GAG GCA ATG AAT TAC GAA GGC AGT CCA ATT AAA GTA ACA CTG 301 Glu Ala Glu Ala Met Asn Tyr Glu Gly Ser Pro He Lys Val Thr Leu 65 70 75 GCA ACT TTG AAA ATG TCT GTA CAG CCA ACG GTT TCC CTT GGG GGC TTT 349 Ala Thr Leu Lys Met Ser Val Gin Pro Thr Val Ser Leu Gly Gly Phe 80 85 90 GAA ATA ACA CCA CCA GTG GTC TTA AGG TTG AAG TGT GGT TCA GGG CCA 397 Glu He Thr Pro Pro Val Val Leu Arg Leu Lys Cys Gly Ser Gly Pro 95 100 105 GTG CAT ATT AGT GGA CAG CAC TTA GTA GTG TAC CGC CGG AAG CAC CAG 445 Val His He Ser Gly Gin His Leu Val Val Tyr Arg Arg Lys His Gin 110 115 120 GAG CTG CAA GCC ATG CAG ATG GAG CTG CAG AGC CCT GAG TAC AAG CTG 493 Glu Leu Gin Ala Met Gin Met Glu Leu Gin Ser Pro Glu Tyr Lys Leu 125 130 135 140 AGC AAG CTC CGC ACC TCG ACC ATC ATG ACC GAC TAC AAC CCC AAC TAC 541 Ser Lys Leu Arg Thr Ser Thr He Met Thr Asp Tyr Asn Pro Asn Tyr 145 150 155 TGC TTT GCT GGC AAG ACC TCC TCC ATC AGT GAC CTG AAG GAG GTG CCG 589 Cys Phe Ala Gly Lys Thr Ser Ser He Ser Asp Leu Lys Glu Val Pro 160 165 170 CGG AAA AAC ATC ACC CTC ATT CGG GGT CTG GGC CAT GGC GCC TTT GGG 637 Arg Lys Asn He Thr Leu He Arg Gly Leu Gly His Gly Ala Phe Gly 175 180 185 GAG GTG TAT GAA GGC CAG GTG TCC GGA ATG CCC AAC GAC CCA AGC CCC 685 Glu Val Tyr Glu Gly Gin Val Ser Gly Met Pro Asn Asp Pro Ser Pro 190 195 200 CTG CAA GTG GCT GTG AAG ACG CTG CCT GAA GTG TGC TCT GAA CAG GAC 733 Leu Gin Val Ala Val Lys Thr Leu Pro Glu Val Cys Ser Glu Gin Asp 205 210 215 220 GAA CTG GAT TTC CTC ATG GAA GCC CTG ATC ATC AGC AAA TTC AAC CAC 7B1 Glu Leu Asp Phe Leu Met Glu Ala Leu He He Ser Lys Phe Asn His 225 230 235 CAG AAC ATT GTT CGC TGC ATT GGG GTG AGC CTG CAA TCC CTG CCC CGG 829 Gin Asn He Val Arg Cys He Gly Val Ser Leu Gin Ser Leu Pro Arg 240 245 250 TTC ATC CTG CTG GAG CTC ATG GCG GGG GGA GAC CTC AAG TCC TTC CTC 877 Phe He Leu Leu Glu Leu Met Ala Gly Gly Asp Leu Lys Ser Phe Leu 255 260 265 CGA GAG ACC CGC CCT CGC CCG AGC CAG CCC TCC TCC CTG GCC ATG CTG 925 Arg Glu Thr Arg Pro Arg Pro Ser Gin Pro Ser Ser Leu Ala Met Leu 270 275 280 GAC CTT CTG CAC GTG GCT CGG GAC ATT GCC TGT GGC TGT CAG TAT TTG 973 Asp Leu Leu His Val Ala Arg Asp He Ala Cys Gly Cys Gin Tyr Leu 285 290 295 300 GAG GAA AAC CAC TTC ATC CAC CGA GAC ATT GCT GCC AGA AAC TGC CTC 1021 Glu Glu Asn His Phe He His Arg Asp He Ala Ala Arg Asn Cys Leu 305 310 315 TTG ACC TGT CCA GGC CCT GGA AGA GTG GCC AAG ATT GGA GAC TTC GGG 1069 Leu Thr Cys Pro Gly Pro Gly Arg Val Ala Lys He Gly Asp Phe Gly 320 325 330 ATG GCC CGA GAC ATC TAC AGG GCG AGC TAC TAT AGA AAG GGA GGC TGT 1117 Met Ala Arg Asp He Tyr Arg Ala Ser Tyr Tyr Arg Lys Gly Gly Cys 335 340 345 GCC ATG CTG CCA GTT AAG TGG ATG CCC CCA GAG GCC TTC ATG GAA GGA 1165 Ala Met Leu Pro Val Lys Trp Met Pro Pro Glu Ala Phe Met Glu Gly 350 355 360 ATA TTC ACT TCT AAA ACA GAC ACA TGG TCC TTT GGA GTG CTG CTA TGG 1213 He Phe Thr Ser Lys Thr Asp Thr Trp Ser Phe Gly Val Leu Leu Trp 365 370 375 380 GAA ATC TTT TCT CTT GGA TAT ATG CCA TAC CCC AGC AAA AGC AAC CAG 1261 Glu He Phe Ser Leu Gly Tyr Met Pro Tyr Pro Ser Lys Ser Asn Gin 385 390 395 GAA GTT CTG GAG TTT GTC ACC AGT GGA GGC CGG ATG GAC CCA CCC AAG 1309 Glu Val Leu Glu Phe Val Thr Ser Gly Gly Arg Met Asp Pro Pro Lys 400 405 410 AAC TGC CCT GGG CCT GTA TAC CGG ATA ATG ACT CAG TGC TGG CAA CAT 1357 Asn Cys Pro Gly Pro Val Tyr Arg He Met Thr Gin Cys Trp Gin His 415 420 425 CAG CCT GAA GAC AGG CCC AAC TTT GCC ATC ATT TTG GAG AGG ATT GAA 1405 Gin Pro Glu Asp Arg Pro Asn Phe Ala He He Leu Glu Arg He Glu 430 435 440 TAC TGC ACC CAG GAC CCG GAT GTA ATC AAC ACC GCT TTG CCG ATA GAA 1453 Tyr Cys Thr Gin Asp Pro Asp Val He Asn Thr Ala Leu Pro He Glu 445 450 455 460 TAT GGT CCA CTT GTG GAA GAG GAA GAG AAA GTG CCT GTG AGG CCC AAG 1501 Tyr Gly Pro Leu Val Glu Glu Glu Glu Lys Val Pro Val Arg Pro Lys 465 470 475 GAC CCT GAG GGG GTT CCT CCT CTC CTG GTC TCT CAA CAG GCA AAA CGG 1549 Asp Pro Glu Gly Val Pro Pro Leu Leu Val Ser Gin Gin Ala Lys Arg 480 485 490 GAG GAG GAG CAG CCC AGC TGC CCC ACC ACC TCT GCC TAC CAC CTC CTC 1597 Glu Glu Glu Gin Pro Ser Cys Pro Thr Thr Ser Ala Tyr His Leu Leu 495 500 505 TGG CAA GGC TGC AAA GAA ACC CAC AGC TGC AGA GGT CTC TGT TCG AGT 1645 Trp Gin Gly Cys Lys Glu Thr His Ser Cys Arg Gly Leu Cys Ser Ser 510 515 520 CCC TAGAGGGCCG GCCGTGGAAG GGGGACACGT GAATATGGCA TTCTCTCAGT 1698 Pro 525 CCAACCCTTC TTCGGAGTTG CACAAGGTCC ACGGATCCAG AAACAAGCCC ACCAGCTTGT 1758 GGAACCCAAC GTACGGCTCC TGGTTTACAG AGAAACCCAC CAAAAAGAAT AATCCTATAG 1818 CAAAGAAGGA GCCACACGAC AGGGGTAACC TGGGGCTGGA GGGAAGCTGT ACTGTCCCAC 1878 CTAACGTTGC AACTGGGAGA CTTCCGGGGG CCTCACTGCT CCTAGACGCC TCTTCGCTGA 1938 CTGCCAATAT GAAGGAGGTA CCTCTGTTCA GGCTACGTCA CTTCCCTTGT GGGAATGTCA 1998 ATTACGGCTA CCAGCAACAG GGCTTGCCCT TAGAAGCCGC TACTGCCCCT GGAGCTGGTC 2058 ATTACGAGGA TACCATTCTG AAAAGCAAGA ATAGCATGAA CCAGCCTGGG CCCTGAGCTC 2118 GGTCGCACAC TCACTTCTCT TCCTTGGGAT CCCTAAGACC GTGGAGGAGA GAGAGGCAAT 2178 GGCTCCTTCA CAAACCAGAG ACCAAATGTC ACGTTTTGTT TTGTGCCAAC CTATTTTGAA 2238 GTACCACCAA AAAAGCTGTA TTTTGAAAAT GCTTTAGAAA GGTTTTGAGC ATGGGTTCAT 2298 CCTATTCTTT CGAAAGAAGA AAATATCATA AAAATGAGTG ATAAATACAA GGCCCAGATG 2358 TGGTTGCATA AGGTTTTTAT GCATGTTTGT TGTATACTTC CTTATGCTTC TTTTAAATTG 2418 TGTGTGCTCT GCTTCAATCT AG 2440 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:3: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 572 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:3: Lys Ser Leu Gin Glu Gly Ala Thr Gly Gly His Ser Cys Pro Gin Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Lys Lys Trp Gly Trp Glu Thr Arg Gly Gly Phe Gly Gly Gly Gly 20 25 30 Gly Gly Cys Ser Ser Gly Gly Gly Gly Gly Gly Tyr He Gly Gly Asn 35 40 45 Ala Ala Ser Asn Asn Asp Pro Glu Met Asp Gly Glu Asp Gly Val Ser 50 55 60 Phe He Ser Pro Leu Gly He Leu Tyr Thr Pro Ala Leu Lys Val Met 65 70 75 80 Glu Gly His Gly Glu Val Asn He Lys His Tyr Leu Asn Cys Ser His 85 90 95 Cys Glu Val Asp Glu Cys His Met Asp Pro Glu Ser His Lys Val He 100 105 110 Cys Phe Cys Asp His Gly Thr Val Leu Ala Glu Asp Gly Val Ser Cys 115 120 125 He Val Ser Pro Thr Pro Glu Pro His Leu Pro Leu Ser Leu He Leu 130 135 140 Ser Val Val Thr Ser Ala Leu Val Ala Ala Leu Val Leu Ala Phe Ser 145 150 155 160 Gly He Met He Val Tyr Arg Arg Lys His Gin Glu Leu Gin Ala Met 165 170 175 Gin Met Glu Leu Gin Ser Pro Glu Tyr Lys Leu Ser Lys Leu Arg Thr 180 185 190 Ser Thr He Met Thr Asp Tyr Asn Pro Asn Tyr Cys Phe Ala Gly Lys 195 200 205 Thr Ser Ser He Ser Asp Leu Lys Glu Val Pro Arg Lys Asn He Thr 210 215 220 Leu He Arg Gly Leu Gly His Gly Ala Phe Gly Glu Val Tyr Glu Gly 225 230 235 240 Gin Val Ser Gly Met Pro Asn Asp Pro Ser Pro Leu Gin Val Ala Val 245 250 255 Lys Thr Leu Pro Glu Val Cys Ser Glu Gin Asp Glu Leu Asp Phe Leu 260 265 270 Met Glu Ala Leu He He Ser Lys Phe Asn His Gin Asn He Val Arg 275 280 285 Cys He Gly Val Ser Leu Gin Ser Leu Pro Arg Phe He Leu Leu Glu 290 295 300 Leu Met Ala Gly Gly Asp Leu Lys Ser Phe Leu Arg Glu Thr Arg Pro 305 310 315 320 Arg Pro Ser Gin Pro Ser Ser Leu Ala Met Leu Asp Leu Leu His Val 325 330 335 Ala Arg Asp He Ala Cys Gly Cys Gin Tyr Leu Glu Glu Asn His Phe 340 345 350 He His Arg Asp He Ala Ala Arg Asn Cys Leu Leu Thr Cys Pro Gly 355 360 365 Pro Gly Arg Val Ala Lys He Gly Asp Phe Gly Met Ala Arg Asp He 370 375 380 Tyr Arg Ala Ser Tyr Tyr Arg Lys Gly Gly Cys Ala Met Leu Pro Val 385 390 395 400 Lys Trp Met Pro Pro Glu Ala Phe Met Glu Gly He Phe Thr Ser Lys 405 410 415 Thr Asp Thr Trp Ser Phe Gly Val Leu Leu Trp Glu He Phe Ser Leu 420 425 430 Gly Tyr Met Pro Tyr Pro Ser Lys Ser Asn Gin Glu Val Leu Glu Phe 435 440 445 Val Thr Ser Gly Gly Arg Met Asp Pro Pro Lys Asn Cys Pro Gly Pro 450 455 460 Val Tyr Arg He Met Thr Gin Cys Trp Gin His Gin Pro Glu Asp Arg 465 470 475 480 Pro Asn Phe Ala He He Leu Glu Arg He Glu Tyr Cys Thr Gin Asp 485 490 495 Pro Asp Val He Asn Thr Ala Leu Pro He Glu Tyr Gly Pro Leu Val 500 505 510 Glu Glu Glu Glu Lys Val Pro Val Arg Pro Lys Asp Pro Glu Gly Val 515 520 525 Pro Pro Leu Leu Val Ser Gin Gin Ala Lys Arg Glu Glu Glu Gin Pro 530 535 540 Ser Cys Pro Thr Thr Ser Ala Tyr His Leu Leu Trp Gin Gly Cys Lys 545 550 555 560 Glu Thr His Ser Cys Arg Gly Leu Cys Ser Ser Pro 565 570 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 525 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID Nθ:4: Met Glu Asp Ser Met Asp Met Asp Met Ser Pro Leu Arg Pro Gin Asn 1 5 10 15 Tyr Leu Phe Gly Cys Glu Leu Lys Ala Asp Lys Asp Tyr His Phe Lys 20 25 30 Val Asp Asn Asp Glu Asn Glu His Gin Leu Ser Leu Arg Thr Val Ser 35 40 45 Leu Gly Ala Gly Ala Lys Asp Glu Leu His He Val Glu Ala Glu Ala 50 55 60 Met Asn Tyr Glu Gly Ser Pro He Lys Val Thr Leu Ala Thr Leu Lys 65 70 75 80 Met Ser Val Gin Pro Thr Val Ser Leu Gly Gly Phe Glu He Thr Pro 85 90 95 Pro Val Val Leu Arg Leu Lys Cys Gly Ser Gly Pro Val His He Ser 100 105 110 Gly Gin His Leu Val Val Tyr Arg Arg Lys His Gin Glu Leu Gin Ala 115 120 125 Met Gin Met Glu Leu Gin Ser Pro Glu Tyr Lys Leu Ser Lys Leu Arg 130 135 140 Thr Ser Thr He Met Thr Asp Tyr Asn Pro Asn Tyr Cys Phe Ala Gly 145 150 155 160 Lys Thr Ser Ser He Ser Asp Leu Lys Glu Val Pro Arg Lys Asn He 165 170 175 Thr Leu He Arg Gly Leu Gly His Gly Ala Phe Gly Glu Val Tyr Glu 180 185 190 Gly Gin Val Ser Gly Met Pro Asn Asp Pro Ser Pro Leu Gin Val Ala 195 200 205 Val Lys Thr Leu Pro Glu Val Cys Ser Glu Gin Asp Glu Leu Asp Phe 210 215 220 Leu Met Glu Ala Leu He He Ser Lys Phe Asn His Gin Asn He Val 225 230 235 240 Arg Cys He Gly Val Ser Leu Gin Ser Leu Pro Arg Phe He Leu Leu 245 250 255 Glu Leu Met Ala Gly Gly Asp Leu Lys Ser Phe Leu Arg Glu Thr Arg 260 265 270 Pro Arg Pro Ser Gin Pro Ser Ser Leu Ala Met Leu Asp Leu Leu His 275 280 285 Val Ala Arg Asp He Ala Cys Gly Cys Gin Tyr Leu Glu Glu Asn His 290 295 300 Phe He His Arg Asp He Ala Ala Arg Asn Cys Leu Leu Thr Cys Pro 305 310 315 320 Gly Pro Gly Arg Val Ala Lys He Gly Asp Phe Gly Met Ala Arg Asp 325 330 335 He Tyr Arg Ala Ser Tyr Tyr Arg Lys Gly Gly Cys Ala Met Leu Pro 340 345 350 Val Lys Trp Met Pro Pro Glu Ala Phe Met Glu Gly He Phe Thr Ser 355 360 365 Lys Thr Asp Thr Trp Ser Phe Gly Val Leu Leu Trp Glu He Phe Ser 370 375 380 Leu Gly Tyr Met Pro Tyr Pro Ser Lys Ser Asn Gin Glu Val Leu Glu 385 390 395 400 Phe Val Thr Ser Gly Gly Arg Met Asp Pro Pro Lys Asn Cys Pro Gly 405 410 415 Pro Val Tyr Arg He Met Thr Gin Cys Trp Gin His Gin Pro Glu Asp 420 425 430 Arg Pro Asn Phe Ala He He Leu Glu Arg He Glu Tyr Cys Thr Gin 435 440 445 Asp Pro Asp Val He Asn Thr Ala Leu Pro He Glu Tyr Gly Pro Leu 450 455 460 Val Glu Glu Glu Glu Lys Val Pro Val Arg Pro Lys Asp Pro Glu Gly 465 470 475 480 Val Pro Pro Leu Leu Val Ser Gin Gin Ala Lys Arg Glu Glu Glu Gin 485 490 495 Pro Ser Cys Pro Thr Thr Ser Ala Tyr His Leu Leu Trp Gin Gly Cys 500 505 510 Lys Glu Thr His Ser Cys Arg Gly Leu Cys Ser Ser Pro 515 520 525 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:5: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 26 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: both (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:5: TCCCTTGGGG GCTTTGAAAT AACACC 26 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:6: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 22 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: both (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:6: GCTGAGCAAG CTCCGCACCT CG 22 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:7: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 22 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: both (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:7: GCTGAGCAAG CTCCGCACCT CG 22 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:8: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 21 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: both (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:8: GCTACCACCT CCAGGGGCAG A 21 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:9: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 24 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: both (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:9: AGCACTTAGT AGCTGTGGAG GAAG 24 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:10: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 24 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: both (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 10: AGCACTTAGT AGTGTACCGC CGGA 24 Applicant's or agent's flic International application No. reference number 0656.040PC00 To be assigned INDICATIONS RELATING TO A DEPOSITED MICROORGANISM A. The indications made below relate to the microorganism referred to in the description on page 8 , line 2 B. IDENTIFICATION OF DEPOSIT Further deposits are identified on an additional sheet | | Name of depositary institution AMERICAN TYPE CULTURE COLLECTION Address of depositary institution (including postal code and country) 12301 Parkland Drive Rockvi.le, Maryland 20852 United States of America Date of deposit Accession Number 30 November 1993 69497 C. ADDITIONAL INDICATIONS (leave blank if not applicable) This information is continued on an additional sheet Q E . col i , pRMS17-2 In respect of those designations in which a European Patent is sought a sample of the deposited microorganism will be made available until the publication of the mention of * the grant of the European patent or until the date on which the application has been refused or withdrawn or is deemed to be withdrawn , only the issue of such a sample to an expert nominated by the person requesting the sample (Rule 28 (4) EPC) . D. DESIGNATED STATES FOR WHICH INDICATIONS ARE E. SEPARATE FURNISHING OF INDICATIONS (leave blank if not applicable) The indications listed below will besubmitted to the International Bureau later (specify the general nature of the indications eg., 'Accession Number of Deposit") For receiving Office use only For International Bureau use only 171 This sheet was received with the international application I I This sheet was received by the international Bureau on: Authorized officer Authorized officer Form l*'CT-/ROfi/13_4 (JuJly 1U992).

Claims: What is claimed: 1. A method for detecting human t(2;5) lymphoma comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a sample containing nucleic acid with a first and a second amplification primer, wherein said first amplification primer is capable of hybridizing to sequences of NPM which are present in the NPM/ALK fusion or a sequence complementary thereof, and said second amplification primer is capable of hybridizing to sequences of ALK which are present in the NPM/ALK fusions or a sequence complementary thereof; (b) amplifying primed sequences within said sample; (c) detecting amplified sequences containing said NPM/ALK fusion. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said amplification primers are selected from the group consisting of Seq. ID No. 5, the reverse complement of Seq. ID No. 5, Seq. ID No. 6, and the reverse complement of Seq. ID No. 6. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said sample contains mRNA. 4. A method for identifying human t(2;5) lymphoma comprising the steps of: a) contacting a sample with two antibodies, wherein a first antibody is capable of binding to NPM, and a second antibody is capable of binding to ALK; and b) detecting the presence of proteins in said sample which bind both said first and said second antibody. 5. A method for detecting human t(2;5) lymphoma which comprises the steps of: a) contacting a sample with an antibody, wherein said antibody is capable of binding to the fusion junction of the NPM/ALK fusion protein present within the amino acid sequence of Seq. ID No. 4 but is incapable of binding to non-fusion NPM or ALK protein; and b) detecting the presence of proteins in said sample which bind to said antibody. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein said antibody is capable of binding to an epitope which is present within the amino acid sequence of Seq. ID No. 4. 7. A method for detecting human t(2;5) lymphoma comprising the steps of: a) contacting a sample with two nucleic acid probes, wherein a first nucleic acid probe is capable of hybridizing to nucleic acid sequences encoding NPM, and a second nucleic acid probe which is capable of hybridizing to nucleic acid sequences encoding ALK; and b) detecting the presence of nucleic acid sequences in said sample which hybridize to both said first and said second nucleic acid probes. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein said first and said second nucleic acid probes are selected from the group consisting of DNA and RNA and said nucleic acid in said sample is selected from the group consisting of DNA and RNA. 9. A method for detecting human t(2;5) lymphoma comprising the steps of: a) contacting a sample with a nucleic acid probe, wherein said nucleic acid probe is capable of hybridizing to a nucleic acid sequence encoding the fusion junction of the NPM/ALK fusion protein; and b) detecting the presence of nucleic acid sequences in said sample which hybridize to said nucleic acid probe. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said nucleic acid probe is selected from the group consisting of DNA and RNA and said nucleic acid sequence in said sample is selected from the group consisting of DNA and RNA. 11. The method of claim 9 wherein said nucleic acid probe consist essentially of the nucleic acid sequence of Seq. ID No. 2, or a fragment thereof. 12. A kit compartmentalized to receive in close confinement one or more containers which comprises; a) A first container comprising a primer capable of hybridizing to sequences the nucleic acid encoding NPM or a sequence complementary thereof, b) A second container comprising a primer capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid sequence encoding ALK or a sequence complementary thereof, c) One or more other containers comprising one or more of the following: wash reagents, amplification reagents and reagents capable of detecting the presence of amplified nucleic acid sequences. 13. A kit compartmentalized to receive in close confinement one or more containers which comprises: a) A first container comprising an antibody capable of binding to an epitope which is present in the fusion junction of the NPM/ALK fusion protein but which is not present in non- fusion NPM or ALK protein; and b) One or more other containers comprising one or more of the following: wash reagent and reagents capable of detecting the presence of bound antibody. 14. A kit compartmentalized to receive in close confinement one or more containers which comprises; a) A first container comprising a nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to a nucleic acid sequence encoding the fusion junction of the NPM/ALK fusion protein, and b) One or more other containers comprising one or more of the following: wash reagents and reagents capable of detecting the presence of bound nucleic acid probes from said first container. 15. An antibody which is capable of binding to an epitope which is present in the fusion junction of the NPM/ALK fusion protein but is incapable of binding to non-fusion NPM or ALK protein. 16. The antibody of claim 15 wherein said antibody is capable of binding to an epitope which is present in the amino acid sequence of Seq. ID No. 4. 17. An antibody which is capable of binding to the ALK protein. 18. An isolated peptide whose amino acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of Seq. ID No. 3 (the partial ALK protein), or a fragment thereof, and Seq. ID No. 4 (the NPM/ALK fusion protein), or a fragment thereof. 19. An isolated fusion protein comprising a portion of the NPM and ALK proteins. 20. An isolated nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of Seq. ID No. 1, or a fragment thereof having the nucleotide sequence of from 31 to 2608 contiguous base pairs of Seq. ID No. 1. 21. An isolated nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of Seq. ID No. 2, or a fragment thereof having the nucleotide sequence of from 31 to 2440 contiguous base pairs of Seq. ID No. 2. 22. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 21, wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule spans the NPM/ALK fusion junction. 23. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 22, wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule has a sequence selected from the group consisting of Seq. ID No. 9, Seq. ID No. 10, the reverse complement of Seq. ID No. 9 and the reverse complement of Seq. ID No. 10. 24. An isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide having the sequence of Seq. ID No. 3. 25. An isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide having the sequence of Seq. ID No. 4. 26. An amplification primer capable of hybridizing to a nucleic acid sequence which is rearranged in the t(2;5)(p23;q35) chromosomal translocation event which occurs in human t(2;5) lymphoma, or a complementary sequence thereof. 27. The amplification primer of claim 26, wherein said amplification primer consists of 18 to 30 contiguous nucleotides of Seq. ID No. 1 or 18 to 30 contiguous nucleotides of the reverse complement of Seq. ID No. 1. 28. The amplification primer of claim 26, wherein said amplification primer has a sequence selected from the group consisting of Seq. ID No. 5, Seq. ID No. 6, the reverse complement of Seq. ID No. 5 and the reverse complement of Seq. ID No. 6. 29. An amplification primer capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid sequence encoding the human ALK gene on the chromosome 2p23 or a complementary sequence thereof. 30. The amplification primer of claim 29, wherein said amplification primer consists of 18 to 30 contiguous nucleotides of Seq. ID No. 2 or 18 to 30 contiguous nucleotides of the reverse complement of Seq. ID No. 2. 31. A vector construct comprising a vector into which has been inserted the nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25. 32. A host transformed with the vector construct of claim 31. 33. An antisense mRNA sequence which is capable of hybridizing to the NPM/ALK fusion gene, or a fragment thereof. 34. A non-human transgenic mammal which has been altered to express human NPM/ALK fusion protein. 35. A non-human transgenic mammal which has been altered to express human ALK protein. 36. A non-human transgenic mammal which has been altered to that said mammal does not express the non-human homologue of the ALK gene. 37. A method of identifying agents capable of binding to the NPM/ALK fusion protein comprising the steps of: (a) contacting an agent with said NPM/ALK fusion protein; and (b) determining whether said agent binds said NPM/ALK fusion protein. 38. An isolated agent capable of binding to the NPM/ALK fusion protein produced by the steps of: (a) contacting an agent with said NPM/ALK fusion protein; and (b) determining whether said agent binds said NPM/ALK fusion protein. 39. A method of identifying agents capable of binding to the ALK protein comprising the steps of: (a) contacting an agent with said ALK protein; and (b) determining whether said agent binds said ALK protein. 40. An isolated agent capable of binding of the ALK protein produced by the steps of: (a) contacting an agent with said ALK protein; and (b) determining whether said agent binds said ALK protein. 41. The agent of claim 28 wherein said agent is a natural ligand of ALK. 42. A ribozyme which is capable of cleaving the mRNA encoding the ALK protein. 43. A ribozyme which is capable of cleaving the mRNA encoding the NPM/ALK fusion protein.

Inventors: LOOK A THOMAS, MORRIS STEPHAN W, LOOK, A., THOMAS, MORRIS, STEPHAN, W.
Applicants: ST JUDE CHILDRENS RES HOSPITAL, ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
Application year: 1994
Main classification: C07H17
IPC codes: A01K67, C07K14, C07K16, C07K19, C12N5, C12N9, C12N15, C12P21, C12Q1, C12R1, G01N33